Whether the city needed to adopt an Urgency Ordinance drafted by the City Attorney in anticipation of the passage of Proposition 64 and the legalization of marijuana – that was the primary excitement at this busy and controversy-free meeting of the Petaluma City Council.

While doing so could have allowed Petaluma to maintain a legal moratorium on marijuana of up to two more years, it would, the Council agreed, be exceedingly undemocratic. Besides, as Zen Destiny noted during public commentary, we need weed “to combat an epidemic of Tight Assness.”

1. Approval of Minutes

A. Approval of Minutes of Regular City Council/PCDSA Meeting of Monday, September 12, 2016.

B. Approval of Minutes of Regular City Council/PCDSA Meeting of Monday, September 19, 2016.

C. Approval of Minutes of Regular City Council/PCDSA Meeting of Monday, October 3, 2016.

D. Approval of Minutes of Regular City Council/PCDSA Meeting of Monday, October 17, 2016.

Adopted with corrections.

2. Approval of Proposed Agenda

A. Approval of Agenda for Regular City Council/PCDSA Meeting of Monday, November 21, 2016.

Approved by unanimous vote.

Public Comment

Simone Moreno, a Petaluma Adult School student from Mexico, thanked the Council for their hospitality on behalf of her fellow students from Iran, Russia, China and Finland. “It’s a beautiful thing to see democracy in action and to see people working together to make our city a great place to live” said Moreno, as she left the microphone to widespread applause.

“Why is our water so expensive?” asked Razon Linzie on behalf of her sister. “And what we do about our grass? Do we let it die, or continue watering and pay through our noses?”

“Also, why are our streets and roads so rundown?”

Mayor Glass attempted to provide Ms. Linzie a lesson in how our water rates are determined, and appeared successful, albeit in a puzzling and circuitous fashion.

In terms of the streets, he said, “We’re extremely challenged.”

Kathryn Babrowski of the Littlewoods Mobile Home complained of vandalism by her neighbors again, suggesting the PPD is shirking its law enforcement duties.

Zen Destiny’s three minute poem packed a remarkable critique of contemporary political and social affairs in the almost post-Obama era that I would not presume to reduce to a summary. See the City of Petaluma video archives if you’d like to see what’s on Zen’s mind these days.

3. Consent Calendar

A. Resolution Approving Claims and Bills for September 2016.

Zen Destiny used this opportunity to launch a lengthy critique of Harley Davidson motorcycles, calling the PPD to task for using “obviously inferior” Harleys, a waste of public funds according to Destiny.

C. Resolution Ratifying the Tentative Agreement Reached by the Duly Authorized Representatives of the City of Petaluma and the Petaluma Public Safety Mid-Management Association – Unit 10.

Approved by unanimous vote.

4. Unfinished Business

A. Adoption (Second Reading) of an Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Sections 17.20.010, 17.20.040, 17.20.050, and 17.20.060 of the Petaluma Municipal Code to Adopt the 2016 California Fire Code, California Building Standards Code, Title 24, Part 9, Based on the 2015 Edition of the International Fire Code.

Approved by unanimous vote.

5. New Business

A. Resolution Authorizing Award of Contract for the City Hall West Wing and Fire Station 3 Roof Overlay to Cornerstone Roofing, Inc.

Approved by unanimous vote.

B. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Cooperative Agreement with Caltrans to Complete a Water Quality Mitigation Project Along Old Corona Road.

Taking the runoff from a segment of the freeway and from the back of Henry Curtis Ford. Caltrans is paying for the whole thing.

Motion approved by unanimous vote.

C. Discussion and Direction Regarding Regional Issues of Significance for the Mayors’ and Councilmembers’ Association of Sonoma County.

Pavement condition, transportation funding, climate change and possibly a joint meeting with Marin on sea level rise were agreed upon as topics of primary interest to the Council in this forum.

D. Consideration and Possible Adoption of an Urgency Ordinance of the City of Petaluma Making Findings and Establishing a Temporary Moratorium on Nonmedical Marijuana Uses in the City, to Become Effective Immediately Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65858.

Zen Destiny objected to the city’s pimping of alcohol while considering restricting the people’s access to marijuana. We need weed “to combat an epidemic of Tight Assness,” said Destiny.

Councilmember Teresa Barrett objected to the fact that the city was effectively nullifying the vote if one side wins re: Proposition 64, the marijuana legalization initiative. She called it “absolutely the most undemocratic thing we could do,” taking a principled stand against this measure.

Councilmember Chris Albertson’s primary concerns surrounded issues of access if marijuana is legalized, and things like the location of smoke shops.

Councilmember Mike Healy was concerned about overreach by the City Attorney in writing a possible Urgency Ordinance, particularly in light of Barrett’s comments.

I think the public would notice if we did this too quickly. He suggested the Dec. 5 meeting, as we would still be within the thirty day window

“I imagine there’s a tremendous amount of interest in the community on this particular topic, given the extensive commentary” received during the city’s previous medical marijuana discussion. Miller did not like the last-minute, emergency approach to this.

Councilmember Gabe Kearney sought to find another time in the near future to further discuss the marijuana issue in its entirety.

Councilmember Dave King suggested that if Prop 64 passes, the city should get more public input and respond in a deliberative fashion. He didn’t think we needed to add to the regulatory environment.

Seems to be the council’s feeling that this measure did not need to be an urgency ordinance on this evening’s agenda. Perhaps we’ll consider an urgency ordinance at that time.

6. Public Hearing

A. Resolution to Modify the Lakeville Business Park Planned Community District to Add “Fitness/Health Facility” as a Minor Conditional Use on All Lots Throughout the Lakeville PCD and Adopt Technical Edits to the Zoning District Regulations.

Motion approved by 6 – 1 vote, with Chris Albertson dissenting.

Council Comment

Councilmember Healy noted that it’d been a busy time in the water world as the water advisory committee met in Santa Rosa. Both regional reservoirs are approaching 90% capacity, a far better state of affairs than we’ve been in in many years.

Councilmember Albertson discussed Rep. Huffman’s river dredging meeting, re: a five member partnership: the cities of Napa & Sonoma, Marin & Sonoma counties, and the city of San Rafael, all working together to get dredging done. Dan St. John, Public Works Director for Petaluma, is chair of the group. There remains acknowledgement among all levels that it needs to be done, but where and when it’ll get paid for and done remains to be seen.

Councilmember Miller noted that Caltrans had begun taking down the Eucalyptus trees that had burned next to the freeway on October 31.

Councilmember King – the Planning Commission met to discuss a substantial 76 station remodel at the north end of town, as well as the windows of the Silk Mill.

Councilmember Barrett attended an annual statewide conference for LAFCOs. The issues which seem to be front and center for 2017 are the Sustainable Groundwater Management Agencies, JPAs of various kinds, are much discussed.

As for the BAAQMD, the summer Spare the Air season closed with a record 27 Spare the Air days due to the many summer fires which affected the air of all nine counties. Also, the bar which triggers Spare the Air days has been lowered, part of the effort to meet our climate goals.

Mayor Glass blasted our dysfunctional Congress for the fact that we’re still searching for money for dredging.

Adjourned at 9:34 pm in honor of Steve Simmons, a thirty + year Petaluma employee who passed away recently.